Roller platen control in addressing machines



Jan. 19, 1954 L. S. PROSSER, JR

ROLLER PLATEN CONTROL IN ADDRESSING MACHINES Filed NOV. 16, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 19, 1954 s. PROSSER, JR 2,666,3 83

ROLLER PLATEN CONTROL IN ADDRESSING MACHINES Filed NOV. 16, 1950INVENToR. ew/5 .5 ,Dresser/7:

L. s. PROSSER, JR

ROLLER PLATEN CONTROL IN ADDRESSING MACHINES Jan. 19, 1954 3Sheets-sheet :5

Filed NOV. 16, 1950 INVENTOR. QW/5 .5. //ws/J'J 8% H TTORNEK PatentedJan. 19, 1954 umreo srAfrss oF-Fxce 2,666,383 .ROLLER PLATEN eoNTRoL 1NADpnEssAING MACHINES .Lewis @5591." Jr 5ba/WFS??? 591.15- ApplicatiorlNovember 16, 1950, Serial No. 195,999 tonneso1. .1u-eso This inventionrelates vto printing machines of the kind usine a platen movableautomatically toene from a printing position with respect to a printingdevice having a `nurnher .oi lines of type thereon for producing the.characters of the device upon a sneet or forni each .time the platenmoves through its complete cycle of op.. eration.

PrintiileY devices to which this invention re.-

lates and in present use throughout the country are capable of;sequentially moving .a .plurality oi printing devices past a printingposition and holding the saine. in. ,such position momentarily while animpression 4.is made therefrom or .for

longer Aperiods of time whereby a number of; im.-

pressions may he made..

There has 4also beenprevided such machines structure capable ofpermitting imprinting .from certain portions oi the .device .during onecycle `of movement of the platen .and .from the remainv ,ine typelcharacters during .a second complete .cycle of `one,ration oftlieplaten mechanism. For instance. .it is possible through structure.heretofore placed in use to print the neme .and ad..- Vdress `of anaddressee from a printing ,device having such type thereon as theyplaten moves .across the sheet of material bei-ng printed leav,F

a salutation also forming .a part of the printing device unused..whereby envelopes -mav abe addressed .during one cycle .of .operationand the heading of a letter prepared including .the salutation during analternate vcycle of .operation of .the machine..

ln .other .instances printing .devices .are .each provided with .aplurality `of rows of vtype and itis possible through. mechanismheretoiore nrorided to print from a single selected .row land .thereuponpermit the device .to pass lthe printing. position. According-ly, it .itis eesired fto print all of :the .rows .of characters separately from agiven printing plate, it is Vnecessary lto .pass the same through theprinting machine a number .of times .equal to the .number A.of rows .ofLtype -.e.heures.ters thereon. Such printing machines are universallyused .to address .mailing vmaterial in the nature of .advertisingliterature wherein ...only fthestreeted- .dress oi the .addressee `isplaced thereon. Such literature isi-commonly vforivarde.d. .to .the foo-.cupant only in .a given city and consequently .the pieces. of.Iiterature are passed throughthe machine but once .and .the .streetaddress .only ,printed thereon.

Since as .above Yindicated .it .is vnecessary to. di.,-

2 .as many times as there are addresses thereon, the task of preparingadvertising literature .for mailing is great and further, the addressedmaterial is arranged in a haphazard fashion not conducive to easyhandling by the Post Qfuce AD.enartnlents.

it is the .most important objectief the present invention therefore. toimprove upon printing machines of. .such character .whereby to renderthe .seine operable in vpicking up in e pred?.- terrnined order al1 of.the rows of type appealing upon a given printing device, While the sameis heid in e printing position and prior to 'release thereof anddirecting of a second printing device to the `printing positionjanotherimportant object of this invention is to provide in a printing machine.a specially formed cam disc capable of controlling the op; `eration ofthe machine and particularly the platen thereof to render the sameeffective in printing in stepfby-step vfashion from each of va number ofrows of type in predetermined orer While .the printing plate having thetype thereon .remains in .the printing position.

n .further object .of this invention is the pro,- vision of a `tammember for controlling the rnovement of a reciprocable roller platen inaprinting machine in` .such manner .as .to .address a large number ofadvertising circulars so as to arrange the same in order with respect.tothe street addresses printed thereon Awhereby the circulars may jbe bound together for mailing in e number @inutiles corresponding .toPartitular .mailing ,zones thatform a part lof the present- `day:mailing lsystem in the larger cities.

A stillfurther y.object of .the presenty invention jis .to improve uponprinting machines by .the "provision of a number of removable.cam'-disos .eashmoorressondins to .e Particular embossed.

printing device for rendering .the printing inachine-operable as aboveset forth without `the necessity .of otherwise modifying the machine .orrequiringiskill on the vpart of the .operator in making the desiredchange-over.

lother objects of this rvinvention will be made clear or become apparentas the followingv specification p.rlxgressxes,Y reference eing` hadtomthe accompanying drawings, whereinv "i Figure l*1 is .an .elevational,view looking iron; ,the left .hand endet ya printing .machinet'o Iwhichfthe, .present invention relates as.the'.same .ispaslsed trom itsnormally iront Side. ports being-io seo.'-

reot the .printing .devioeslthrougn themachine 5.5 zii-cn endillustrating the platen' .moghani'js'm 'aeeasee thereof together withthe improvements in platen control apparatus made pursuant to thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the various parts of theplaten mechanism and control therefor in a different operating position.

Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrating 'thepositions which certain of the parts of the platen mechanism assume inthe various cycles of operation of the platen mechanism through use ofthe control apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of a modied form of cam disc and ratchetcontrol apparatus made according to the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IX-IX of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line X-X of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line XI-XI of Fig. 9.

Reference is made to U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,359,850 and No.2,359,849, both dated October 10, 1944, for a full understanding of thecomplete construction and operation of a printing machine to which thepresent invention pertains. In all of the several forms of the machineset forth in the latter, a roller platen is provided capable of beingrolled across a sheet or form as the same moves through a reciprocablepath of travel. Rotative, or more appropriately oscillatory movement, isimparted to the platen through an elongated rack and associated gearing.In one form the rack is rendered manually7 adjustable and in anotherIform automatically adjustable to vary the initial position of theroller platen at one end of its cycle of operation.

The hollow roller platen shown in the drawings hereof and broadlydesignated by the numeral IIJ, is mounted for rotation on a horizontalpin I2 that is in turn supported by a pair of spaced,

`swingable links, one only being shown and designated by the numeral I4.Platen I0 adapted for 'use with the control unit hereof is provided witha single, relatively narrow printing face or strip I6 extendinglongitudinally thereof in parallelism .with pin I2.

Printing devices used with the machine include relatively flat, metallicplates having rows v,of type embossed therein and appearing in relief onone face thereof.

Such plates may be fed successively to and from a printing position thatincludes an anvil I8. An inked ribbon overlies 'the printing plate andsheets or forms to be printed are passed in sequence over the ribbon vtoreceive a printing impression by operation mechanism 20 above anvil I8.Arm 22 is provided with a pair of spaced horizontal tracks on a plate23, one of which is identied by the numeral 24 for supporting areciprocable carriage 26 through the medium of rollers 28 and 30.

Reciprocation is imparted to the carriage 26 vby means of a continuallyrotating shaft having an actuating eccentric and clutch structure (allnot shown) for rocking a shaft 32. rAn arm 34 'fixed to shaft 32 andswingable from the posi- -tion shown in Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2connects including a pair of links 44 and 46 pivotally joined by pin 48.Link 44 is pivoted to carriage 26 by a shaft 59 and the link 46rotatably receives the pin I2.

An elongated rack 52 having teeth 54 is in mesh with a gear 56, in turnjoined Iwith a gear One of the links I4 supports three pinions 6B, 62and 64 in intermeshing relationship, pinion til being mounted forrotation by gear 58 and pinion 64 being coupled with platen III.Consequently,v as carriage 2E is reciprocated by links 36 with respectto rack 52, oscillatory motion is imparted to platen I0.

An elongated bar 66 is operably joined to shaft 50 at one end thereofand to the arm 34 by means of a slot 63 in bar 66 and a pivot pin 10. Ascarriage 26 reciprocates and as arm 34 is rocked, toggle 42 operates tomove the platen I9 from the position shown in Fig. l to substantiallythat shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.

It is seen therefore, that the initial position of rack 52 with respectto movement on its longitudinal axis determines the position of rollerI0 and particularly the strip I6 at the time the latter moves to aposition in contact with a sheet overlying an embossed plate on anvilI8.

Rack 52 is provided with a second set of teeth 'F2 in mesh with a gear'I4 secured directly to an actuating shaft 76. Shaft I6 is mounted in abracket 'i3 within a housing 80 and a plate 92 on shaft 'I6 holds rack52 against gear 14. A web 83 is provided with a guide groove 64 for therack 52.

A spring 86 coiled about shaft 'I6 has one end thereof attached to thelatter and the opposite end secured by pin S3 to bracket I8 as shown inFig. 11. Spring 8S tends to rotate shaft 16 clockwise, viewing Figs. 1and 2, to bias the rack 52 in a direction away from carriage 26.

A housing 90 secured to one wall of the housing 80 by screws 92 supportsan arm 94 by means of a pivot pin 96, arm 94 having gear teeth 98 on thelowermost arcuate edge thereof. A pinion I in mesh with teeth 98 issecured to shaft 'I6 to rotate the latter and shift rack 52 whenswinging movement is imparted to arm 94.

In accordance With the present invention, a special disc |92 ispro-vided to swing arm 94 against the action of spring 86, andtherefore, the

. single printing strip I6 on roller platen I0. Disc IGZ is rotatablysecured to a'bolt m4 joining housings 86 and 90, along with a ratchetwheel |06 joined with disc I2 by a hub IDS and having eight equallyspaced teeth I IIB. Screws I I2 in bolt I04 and pin 96 hold a coverplate H4, the disc IIlZ and wheel |66 in place.

A pawl IIB pivoted at one end to a cross pin I I8 on arm 34 has a pinI2() on its opposite end biased against teeth iIO of wheel IIlB by aspring Movement of arm 34 to the right, viewing Figs. 1 and 2, causesratchet wheel 166 to be stepped in a counter-clockwise direction.Similarly, disc IIJ2 rotates to the succeeding cam surface. Obviously,the swinging movement of arm 94 must be controlled to return the rollerIlIl'I to the succeeding cam surface of disc I 02, since, during thestepping action, the roller I4!) will have been displaced substantiallyfarther than the minimum radius of the succeeding cam surface. By

tlactbnof? sprin'gl v/*l'eel-"Iv me'sledwitii' arm; 9K5 is lieptffpia-'sedi against'- tliecamsur-facex of disc= |02t 'lll-ie'- motion'impar-ted to rack? 52 and'associat'edf elements fev-'sucha rotation1 offWheell 'isioffnoi importa-ncesince'Ls-'ucli rotation takesplace.during:` tlierepositioning-f cycle of? all-cemeponent's'gandi thearaclif 52i` repositioned'3 duringv eacli cycle olf operation;-

VL'Iie vdisc'l |02 isi divided! at its periphery* intetwosetsi of oamfacesl IZAL-IQS-f-IQ-VQHW# and |-32-|-3"4`1 36i- |36- successively!engageable'fwitli ai roller: M05 on 64 asl dis vIlm-'stepped in;anticlockwise?v direction` (viewing Figsif- 1f to 6i inclusive bypawillH26.- Eachls'et o'i ca'mffaces i's-r capable.: of-I causing'` printingfrom fur`P rows'- oit` printingrplatef type-.z Thus,`- for eaclifcomplterotationl o'f disc- |:0'2,1 eight-i a-dzliessesel from;l tivo? plateama-ysbef printed.

. 'Eher distancesrrb'etweeni i'afceimilf and'aXi-'si |ll`4 equal tmthe;i distan'cef ldetvveen,y f'a'oef and' wie. Otherf identical paz-irs?Withrespect t'o radial dista-ncesi` front axis:V lotincludet faces' lr6Iand'. lat.; inland; |3162: anfd |30f and= IE5-f. However; thefdistances; progressively decrease clock# wise: from. face:|2-1l't`ofiacel |301 and' from. face |f32lr toarue'sv |38.. Inpother;Words the-iradiali di'sposition .off face: |26 islslightlyf less'-thanthat offace |24,.etc.. Suclii decrease-isi-progressive-and gradualg.the.;` radii*- being-foriV example asl followsff' In; operatiom` theprinting-.- machine is.- preeset' toeholdf. an embossed.- printing;plate having. four. rows-ofA addressesthereonon anvil'V |8 for fourconsecutive cycles. of operation-z of" platenz be`- fore-itisreleasedand.replaced?by` another plate.

OnsWing-inggmovement. ofarm;` Sliflfr'orrr thefposi--- tionshownin Fig;`1 to thatof'Fi'g. Ziandireturn' carriage 2.6) will befreciprocated':alongf tracks.: 24r

by link` connection-136. Simultaneously'plateni l0' l will be extended.fronrthefpositionshownfin'fFig; 1.

td anr extendedeposition asshown 3v to 6 inclusive-as:itlapproaches-anvil- |'8.

' Also,.during each.- such-` operatio'n. arnr. 34, racting througlrpawl-|-6fvvill`V actuatef wheels.. |106;- to advance disc. |-02\.- one; step.

A Thefstepping-,of disc |02.y a'ctuates: ar-maf SM1-and' Wheel 74 tocause lateral displacement oirack 52.-. Asn previouslyf shown, thisdisplacement; of 52v aiects-tlie. positioning; ofstrip I6 duel" toi'ntermeshing.r ofl teeth-:- 54, andgears'v 56,. 58;. 60; 6.2.an-d..64..n

Consequently, the'- dispositionofl operating face 'lloffplaten` I0:at-the momenti of: reachingA the printing, position Withrespectto anvi1I6. dependsentirely onthe position-of rackv5'2 ascontrolled' byV cam.|02.

r,When camface |-24.isrin engagement Withroller |46.. as. shoWn..Figs..1` and 3;. thearm 94 is svvun'g' further to the right thanN after-n disc|02- lasb'een'steppedto successively move. faces |26-, |26 and" |30"into' engagement vvithl` roller |40-i (SeFigs. 4', 5andV 6'.')" Figs; 2iand '6" correspond so# far' as; the" position4 ofi'disc' |021' isconcerned.

Accordingly; as arm' Meis* progressively and gradually' movedinadirection avvay` from carriage 26g.- ra'cle 522' Will he shifted-ichanging" the starting position of'l platen |0`asI it'v commences it'soscillatory motion. When-camface |'24" en' gages roller.:- |403- on'erof? tHe-i rows* of; type on' ai printing: plate4 will liecome'ieffective@ witl'r strip 6" ift; Wirren canr facelaoi engages-f rollermog. the: fourth-row type operates tot printen? addressorYother'matter... Obviously,` the'. same operation. tal-iesplaceff with:cam. faces 132e-l34i-l3'6L-If3a onl-the n'eirt-fcll'o'win'gfprintin'gAplate.:

824'1-f'a'rl Avenue 8'261Parli`Avenue 828"'Park Avenue' 83 @Parli AvenueAmt. assume: the next succeeding; plateY had the following; rowsf of'type:

@amara-Avenue- 8341P'ark Avenue' SSG-'Park- Avenue" 838"Pa'rk"AvenueInf-the absenceoffcamdisc |02,r the-plates wouldbe: advancedthrough-the' machine to pick 11p-824 Park; Avenue;y 8-32 Park' Avenue,v`etc., unt-iL all plateshad: eachv lceen-V fed; through the machine on asetting to print from the top line thereof.v 'I'hereuporn allplates.-vvfmld-loe-y again.A fed,- to.- print 826Al Park! Avenue; 834-Par-k- Avenue; etc.l Qonsequent-ly; each plate: must be: fedfourtimes toproduce atleast: one impression fromz.- all-h four rows of type.

However, with cam!y disc |-02-r' the1 i-lrstplate is heldin printingposition-:forfour cycles-of operationfof platen I0, thecam-1iaceslcontrollingstrip t6" to print-as follows:

Cam `face Milf-822i'I Park Avenue- Cam face H05-828 Park' Avenue- Camface" M01-830 Park Avenue T-he. rst plate is thenreleased-,and4 thenext/plate is-held.- for thev following results:

Cam face |32-832 Parle Avenue Cam face IST-834 Park' Avenue CamfaceISH-836 Park Avenue Cam face ISS-838'- P'ar-k Avenue'- As theAmaterial`,.such as advertising. circulars, emanates from the machineitwill. be arranged inorder, ready for mailing, and can. be quickly,handled in postal zones lessening. the time consumed' for dispatching,after addressing.

F'l'irther,v the time and. labor. consumed in di;- recting. the platesthrough the. machir'ie is reduced tremendously. since all fouraddresses. are printed from. eachv plate before. release thereof and itneedv not be again advanced to a position above' anvil |8for agiven'bundle of mailing ma.- terial. l

It is understoodV that in connection with the use of a single platenlstrip |5'.disc llizfmay he varied. to accommodate printing plates havingdiffering 'numbers oflrow's' of type formed thereon.

For instanc'einFig. 8'. there is' sh'ovv'n a modi'- ed disci' 200 havingnine active' peripheral. faces 202'; 204, 206, v208, 2111,1212, 214;2|.6 and. 218"` Face202. is'close'st radially to' thev a'xisofA disc'liulo 220'; the4` radii" progressively increasing as face 218 isvapproa'chf-d;v A" ratchet" Wheelv 222 therefore; has'a corresponding'number ofteetli 224.

When' disc 20'0' and Wheel- 222' areV placedV in use,v single' printingplate having nine rows of type'the'reon may beheld'until'cam disc 200has made a; complete revolution, during' which time printing may takeplacef'romall nin'e rows.'

It isnowv vrapparent^`tl`1at atrem'end'ous improve:l

ment has been made in printing machines of the type set forth in theabove mentioned patents. The need for control members of this characteris great and large numbers of circulars and other matter may beaddressed or otherwise printed in less time ,and with saving in labornot made possible with control means heretofore known. Facilitating inhandling for mailing alone warrants equipping each such printing machinewith one or more cam disc and ratchet-wheel assemblies in accordancewith the nature of the printing devices used.

It is particularly notable that in using a printing machine having thenovel cam mechanism of this invention as a part thereof, the operatormay switch from plates having four lines of type thereon to plateshaving nine lines for instance by merely replacing the cam and withoutthe necessity of changing the platen. In other words,

plates having an indefinite number of lines yof s type thereon may beutilized with a like number of cams, all without having to provide fordiffering platens and changing the same for each operation.

It is further notable that while the two cams chosen for illustrationherein have their active faces so arranged as to print from the lines oftype on the printing plate in consecutive order, such is not necessaryto the broad principles of operation hereinabove set forth.

The primary feature of the invention resides therefore in utilization ofa single face platen together with a cam having an active face for eachrow of type respectively on the printing plate, making it possible topick up one line at a time irrespective of the number of lines on theplate being utilized by merely selecting the corresponding cam.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a printing machine adapted for use with a printing plate providedwith a number of rows of type, said machine having a reciprocable rollerplaten provided with a single printing strip, apparatus forreciprocating said platen to and from a printing position with respectto said plate, rocker means operably connected with said apparatus foractuating the latter, structure including a shiftable rack foroscillating the platen in response to reciprocable movement thereof, anda swingable, spring-loaded arm for shifting said rack; the improvementwhich comprises arm control mechanism for initially setting the rack andthe platen to render the single printing strip thereof effective duringsuccessive cycles of reciprocation of the platen upon a different row oftype on said plate, said mechanism including a rotatable disc having aplurality of peripheral cam faces successively engageable with said armas the disc is rotated to swing the arm against the action of the springthereof, the radial distances between the cam faces and the axis ofrotation of the disc all being different; and means interconnecting saidrocker means and the disc for imparting steplay-step rotative movementto the disc as the platen is reciprocated.

2. In a printing machine adapted for use with a printing plate providedwith a number of rows of type, said machine having a reciprocable rollerplaten provided with a single printing strip, apparatus forreciprocating said platen to and from a printing position with respectto said iii) plate, rocker means operably connected with said apparatusfor actuating the latter, structure including a shiftable rack foroscillating the platen `in response to reciprocable movement thereof,

and a swingable, spring-loaded arm for shifting said rack; theimprovement which comprises arm control mechanism for initially settingthe rack and the platen to render the single printing strip thereofeffective during successive cycles of reciprocation of the platen upon adifferent row of type on said plate, said mechanism including arotatable disc having a plurality of peripheral cam faces successivelyengageable with said arm as the disc is rotated to swing the arm againstthe action of the spring thereof, there being a carn face correspondingto each of said rows of type respectively, the radial distances betweenthe cam faces and the axis of rotation of the disc all being different;and means interconnecting said rocker means and the disc for impartingstep-by-step rotative movement to the disc as the platen isreciprocated.

3. In a printing machine adapted for use with a printing plate providedwith a number of rows of type, said machine having a reciprocable rollerplaten provided with a single printing strip, apparatus forreciprocating said platen to and from a printing position with respectto said plate, rocker means operably connected with said apparatus foractuating the latter, structure including a shiftable rack foroscillating the platen in response to reciprocable movement thereof, anda swingable, spring-loaded arm for shifting said rack; the improvementwhich comprises arm control mechanism for initially setting the rack andthe platen to render the single printing strip thereof effective duringsuccessive cycles of reciprocation of the platen upon a different row oftype on said plate, said mechanism including a rotatable disc having aplurality of peripheral cam faces successively engageable with said armas the disc is rotated to swing the arm against the action of the springthereof,

4 there being a cam face corresponding to each of said rows of typerespectively, the relative radial distances between the cam faces andthe axis of rotation of the disc being uniformly greater from one camface to the remaining cam faces; and means interconnecting said rockermeans and the disc for imparting step-by-step rotative movement to thedisc as the platen is reciprocated.

4. In a printing machine adapted for use with a printing plate providedwith a number of rows of type, said machine having a reciprocable rollerplaten provided with a single printing strip, apparatus forreciprocating said platen to and from a printing position with respectto said plate, rocker means operably connected with said apparatus foractuating the latter, structure including a shiftable rack foroscillating the platen in response to reciprocable movement thereof, anda swingable, spring-loaded arm for shifting said rack; the improvementwhich comprises arm kcontrol mechanism for initially setting the rackand the platen to render the single printing strip thereof effectiveduring successive cycles of reciprocation of the platen upon a differentrow of type on said plate, said mechanism including a rotatable dischaving a plurality of peripheral cam faces successively engageable withsaid arm as the disc is rotated to swing the arm against the action ofthe spring thereof, there being a cam face corresponding to nuveach ofsaid rows of type respectively, said faces of the cams being spaced atprogressively and uniformly greater radial distances from the axis ofrotation of the disc from one cam face toward the remaining cam faces inone direction along the periphery of the disc; and means interconnectingsaid rocker means and the disc for imparting step-by-step rotativemovement to the disc as the platen is reciprocated.

LEWIS S. PROSSER, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

